Improvement in preserving vegetables, fruits



UNITED STATES PATENT OIIIEICEc i DAVID M. MEFFORD, OF NORWALK, OHIO..

IMPROVEMENT IN PRESERVING vEGETABLEs, FRUITS, ac.

Specitication forming part of Letters Patent No. 101,373, dated March 29, 1870.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID M. MEEEORD, of Norwalk, Ainthe county of Huron, in the State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Preserving Vegetables, such as green corn, peas, beans, potatoes, caulifiower, and other edibles liable to ferment or putrefy, and which possess no acid sensible to the taste; and I do hereby ticolare that the following is a full and exact description thereof', referenceA being had to the accompanying 'drawings, and to the' letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature ot' my invention consists in 'the discovery that the antiseptic effect produced by the action of sulphurous-acid gas upon vegetables and otler edibles possessing no To enable others skilled in the art to con struct cheap and convenient apparatus and use my invention, 1 Will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawing, A is a box cut longitudinallyv through the center, showing the edge of the lid B, crates C C, and sulphur-burner D with its crooked iron, upon which is transtxed a strip ofeotton cloth saturated with sulphur. The box A should be as tight as can be conveniently made out of wood, especially7 at the bottom. The crates G O are mere conveniences for holding the vegetables or other edibles in thin layers or strata, so that they may be readily acted upon by the sulphurous-acid gas. The lid B should be fitted as closely as will work easily in taking it oft' or putting it on. There is no necessity, however, of its fitting air-tight, for as the gas is heavier than atmospheric air it is not liable to escape at the top of the box around the edges oi' the lid. This form of box or case for treating'vegetables and other edibles with sulphuric-acid gas admits of various modifications, for any box or barrell that is tight enough to confine the gas until the vegetables or other edibles have time to absorb a sufcient quantity of itto impart a slight acid taste to them may be successfully used.

In treating vegetables or other edibles possessing no acids of their ownsensible to the taste with sulphurous acid gas, Iist remove the lid B and take out and till the crates C O with Whatever I desire to treat with the gas.

l then replace them one upon the top of the other, and aflixing a sulphur match upon the crooked iron of the burner D ignite it and replace the lid B.'

The vegetables or other edibles under treatment in the box should remain under the action of the gas until they absorb a sufcient quantity thereof to give them a slight acid taste. They `are then taken out and placed in vessels, and Water or other liquid in which it is intended to preserve them, and which has been boiled, and to which has been added a sufficient quantity ot' soda or other alkaline substance to neutralize the acid which has,

phuric-acid gas until a slight acidity is imparted thereto, and neutralizing the same by means of soda or other alkaline substance, and then hermetically sealing them in airtight vessels.

.DAVID M. MEEEORD.

Witnesses:

' SUSAN PEEBLEs,

AEABELLA PEEBLES. 

